Cannabis users who cope with negative emotions showed the worst binge eating and all user profiles reported more binge eating while high

Four profiles of cannabis users were identified: infrequent/low-risk, intense/mild-risk, high-risk coping with strong eating changes, and frequent/mild-risk. All profiles reported more binge eating while under the influence of cannabis. The high-risk coping profile had the most severe sober binge eating, eating disorder symptoms, and emotion regulation difficulties.

Cross-sectional study of 435 adults (189 male) recruited through Prolific who endorsed past-month cannabis use. Latent profile analysis based on cannabis use characteristics including subjective changes to appetite and hedonic food properties. Profiles were compared on binge eating, eating disorder symptoms, and emotion regulation.

Cannabis is well known to increase appetite, but its relationship to disordered eating patterns is poorly understood. This person-centered approach reveals that not all cannabis users face the same eating-related risks, with coping-motivated users most vulnerable.

This study bridges cannabis research and eating disorder research, two fields that rarely intersect. The finding that coping-motivated cannabis use clusters with disordered eating suggests shared vulnerability pathways that could inform screening and intervention.

Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether cannabis use causes binge eating or vice versa. Online convenience sample via Prolific. Self-reported data. Recreational cannabis users only, excluding medical users.